Fair-leader



' Oct; 23, 1945-- 1'. s. LINDABURY FAIRLEADER Filed April 12, 1943 INVENTOR TRYON s. LINDABURY ATTORNEY a UNITED STATE Itl iat still:

provide zeafairleader'of thistype which is adapted. -to simultaneously handle a plurality of cables.

of: the same.

Patented Oct. 23, 1945 S ENiT' Q'F'F'I CE.

FAIR-LEADER Tryon s. Lindabury', UniversityGity,.Mo., assignor. to Curtiss-Wright Corporation,; a corpora tion of Delaware it has been necessary to completely disassemble the fairleader in order to extend the cable with ita flttiitgstherethrough. Suchfairle'adershave beem "generally of" split;- or separable wooden members: notched: to receive the cable- These members were generally held together .otderthatt the: cable fitting aswell as the cable could: be extended through them, it necessitated the? complete: removal and separating of thesewoodaen: pwrtstanditheir realignment on: the aircraftmiamei. I

Iteis;..therefore;w arr obj ect of 'tlie present inventinmtorprovidei a..=fairlea:der'or cable guide: which not. be disassembled. or: detached from: the

aircraft upon the: cable being? connected to or: remotreda from .1 the; aircraft.

It: isranother' objectlof the. invention'to provide a cable: arrangement. wherein the: cable fit:- tingsiimthe cablesican be threaded. through the: Samoa another: object ofi the invention to 3 According to the present: invention, there has beemprovidedw. auguiding-g element having. per-- tiom with: slots; therein adapted to receive: the. cablesian'd aisupporting', portion adapted: to auto: maficallyrcome into.- play to. support the cables imtheaslots of' t-he guiding portion upon the same beinggadjusteda and. retained in the guiding. po-

sitiom 1 This supporting portion. i'sulo'catedl in advameelofi the: cable-.guiding portion so: as. to" provide: amenlarged. opening therebetween which,

when: theguid-ing: element is rotated. or adjusted toi aLposi-tion incanialtalignment with the cables,

willieasily permit. the. cable fitting. to be: either threaded: through; the: guiding: element. or freed This Iairlealden-or cable? guideis adapted for. attachmentztwae vertically" extending, frameimenr her: having. am opening therethroughzand serving. as as partiofith'ee frame structure; of the aircraftii i It;- cam be locatedeither the: top or:

sidestof:the airplanerbodyconimthe bottormthereof. The cables in: passing through; the guiding. element also can't be angledwupon leaving the saunas Also the: guiding element canabezmade. in" twor sections to ermit the disassemblv of. the" guiding element itse1f,- whereby it can be: freed: entirely of the cables without: requiring discomnectiom of the cables themselves;

Forother objects and for a betterflunderstanding" of the-invention-, reference may be had to the-following detail description taken in con-- nection witl'rthe accompanying drawing, in

which Fig. 1 is a: perspective viewof the fairleader or" cable guide of the present invention", showing its attachment to an aircraft frame ancl= illustratingthemanner inwhich the cables are extended therethrough.

Fig: 2" isa plan" view of" the fairleader:

if is-a'front view; in elevation; ofthefair leader and its mounting means.

Fig. 4 isan end view; in elevation, ofthe same;

Fig; 5 isa detail View. partlyin cross section, taken alongthei 1ine"5-5 of. Fig. 4;. and: showing particularly the arrangement of the. detent mechanism.

Fig. 6' is. also a detail view of the detent element itself" and taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig.7 is a. front view, in.elevation,. of a modified form of. the invention, the guidinggelement. being. adapted-to. be. separatedl for complete dis.- assembl'y. of. the guiding, element. from the cables.

Fig; 8 is. a =detaiL view. of the modified form, incrosssection, taken. along the; line 8'--8 ofFiga'L Referring now tothe figures, there is shown a frame 10 which may be a fire wall or other frame element. forming a. part of theaircraft body. This frame element. l0 hasan opening I l throughwhich a plurality of cables: l2 extend. These. eables,. upon leaving: the opening. l l extend through open. ended guide slots.-|3.'in a1gu-ide. portion [4. of 1 an adjustable guiding element l5 and areisupported inthese slots 13 by asupporting portion l6 located. in advance ofv the guiding portion l4- to provide: an. enlarged opening 1-1.. With. the. cable elements? l-2- resting on the supporting. portion l'6,.the: cables l2 are. retained inthe upper parts of the slots 13*. In order to-make this: effective,.-the guiding: element I5: is pivotally In: order to retain. guiding element in its: guiding position,-. there: is provided a; detent mechanism; 23? including; a d'etent pin' 24 and a hairpin-shaped". spring: 25;. This. hairpin springindicated at 2'! in Fig. 6. On the lower'end of the spring 25, there is a ring portion 28 serving as a handle which is depressed to effect the displacement of the detent pin 24 against the action of the spring 25. The pin 24 is carried in a hole in the guiding element and when the guiding element is adjusted to be disposed in the guiding position the pin 24 registers with a hole 24' in the bracket l8. When it is desired toposition the guiding element I 5 for removal of the cables, this may be accomplished by withdrawing the detent 2 4 fromthe hole 24' androtating the guiding element in a counterclockwise direction to free the cables l2 of their slots l3, at the same time a positioning the enlarged opening ll in a plane normal to the extent of the cables and such that cable fittings can be readily threaded through the guiding element. While the guiding slots I 3 are not of sufiicient dimensionsto permit the passage of cable fittings therethrough,

the enlarged opening I? is of such dimension as to readily permit the passing therethrough of the cable fittings. Qnce the new cable has been inserted in the'guiding element or an old one removed, the guiding element can be readily returned to its guiding position andth'ere' again retained by the detent 24'. It means simply giving to the guiding element a rotational movement to fit the slots [3 over the cables [2. The slots is are generally over size so that the cable can fit loosely through them. Perhaps the only contact of the cable with either the slot or the supporting portion It may be only at such time as the cables are flexed, due to some sudden shock'to the aircraft. It is most probable the majority of the wear would be on the cable supporting portion I6. With this guiding element made of soft plastic material and of'less hardness than the steel'in the cables themselves, shouldat anytime 'be put on little or no wear the cables. 1

Referring now particularly to Figs. '7 and 8, there is shown a modified form of the guiding element; There is shown such an element which 7 can be separated at times when it is desired to completely remove the guiding element from the brackets l8 and from the cables without unfastening the ends of the'cables l2. In thisform of the invention, the guiding element comprises two sections 30 and 31 joined together at the par-ting line as indicated at 32. Extending through these sections and respectively through the guiding and supporting portions thereof, are openings 33 adapted to receive respectively pins 34. The trunnion pins I9 and 20 areremovable from the guiding element l5 after first removing the cotter pins 2| By removing both of these trunnions, the guiding element can be slid along the extent of the cables and removed from the brackets l8. Once the guide element is free of thebrackets l8, it can be rotated so as to locate the cables l2 in the enlarged opening I! and then the sections 30 and 3| may be separated by sliding either section away from the other until it is clear of the pins 34. .Preferably with this form ofinvention, there is provided detent mechanisms 23 at each side ofthe guiding element.

l with which'they are normally engageable toward.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a fairleader or cable guide which is adjustable so as to serve to guide the cables when in one position and when in another position, such as to permit the threading therethrough of the cable fittings, all of which being possible,

without the necessity of actually disconnecting the guiding element from the frame of the air craft.

It should also be apparent that. the fairleader can be used in the reversed or upside down position as well as in the position shown in' the drawing, so that the slotted or guiding portion I4 supports the cables l2 while the supporting portion It becomes merely a restraining means to confine the cables within the slots. Also that the fairleader can be used on the side walls of an airplane body in an angled position with the horizontal.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction it shall be understood that:

such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims. V I

I claim as my invention:

1. A guide fora cable with whicha fitting is to be associated, said guide including, a member having spaced-apart guide portions, which extend transversely of said cable and between which,

the latter passes, pivotforming means. for normally supporting said member, in an angular position such that, without interfering with sub: stantially free longitudinal movement of said cable, one of said guide, portions is engageable, with one section of said cable to limitlateral movement of the latter in one direction and another of said guide portions is engageable with a different section of said cable to limit its lateral movement in the opposite direction, and releasable means to secure said member insaid angular position, but upon release to permit pivotal movementof said guide portions away from those sections of said' cable with which they are normally engageable toward a plane normal to the plane of u said cable tothereby provide suitableclearance for the'passage' ofsaid fitting between'isaid guide .1

portions.

2. A guide for acable with which a fitting is to be, associated, said guide including-a member i having spaced-apart guide'portions which extend transversely of said cable and between which-the latter passes, means for pivotally sup-' porting said member for adjustment from anangular position such that, without interfering with substantially free longitudinal niovement'- of said cable, one of said guide portions-is en-a gageable with one section of' said cable to limit Y lateral movement of the latter in oneiidirection and another of said guide portions. is engageable" with a different section ofsaid cable to limit its lateral movement in the opposite direction, .to

an angular position whereby to movesaid guide portions away from thosesections of. said cable a plane'normal to the plane of. said. cable to thereby provide suitable clearance .for the pas sage of said fittingbetween saidguide portions, and means for releasably securing said member...

in said first mentioned position. 1 1? 3. A guide for acable with which a ate a;

. the latter passes and oneof which is formed with; an open-ended slot; and-means fornormally sup,-

portin said memberin an angular :position such that. without interfering with substantially-free" longitudinal movement of said cable, saidslot aocommodates one sectionof said :cablewhile another :of said guide portions: is engageable with afdifierent section of said cable to holdthe latter in said slot. saidmember being adjustable with respect. to. said supporting means to move said uide/portions, including: the: portion in a which,

cable 1to thereby: provide suitable, clearance for the passage of said fittingbetween @Sflid guideportions. a a .v

4. A guide for a cable with which a fitting is to be associated including a member having spacedapart guide portions which delimit an opening through which said cable extends and one of which is formed with an open-ended slot which communicates with said opening, means for pivotally supporting said member in .an angular position such that,without interfering with substantially free longitudinal movement of said cable, said slot accommodates one section of said cable while another of said guide portions is engageable with a different section of said cable to hold the latter in said slot, said member being angularly adjustable about said means to move said guide portions, including the portion in which said slot is formed, away from those sections of said cable with which they are normally engageable toward a plane normal to the plane of said cable, whereby to provide suitable clearance for the passage of said fitting between said guide portions, and means for releasably securing said member in said first mentioned position.

5. A guide for a plurality of cables with which fittings are to be associated, said guide including a member having spaced-apart guide portions which delimit an opening through which said cables extend and one of which is formed with a plurality of open-ended slots whichcommunicate with said opening, means for pivotally supporting said member in an angular position such that, without interfering with substantially free longitudinal movement of said cables,

one of said slots accommodates one section of each of. said cables while another of said guide portions is engageable with a different section of each of said cables to hold the latter in said slots, said member being adjustable to move said guide portions, including the portion in which said slots are formed, away from those sections of said cable with which they are normally engageable toward a plane normal to the plane of said cables, whereby to provide suitable clearance for the passage of said fittings between said guide por- ,tions, and means for releasably securing said 'member in said first mentioned position.

6. In a guide for a cable, a member having spaced-apart guide portions which delimit an enlarged opening through which said cable extends and one of which is formed with an openended slot which communicates with said opening, and means for adjustably mounting said member, whereby it may be moved either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot so that thewalls thereof serve as a guide, or if the cable occupies said slot, to a position in which the cable occupies said opening and is clear of the walls of said slot.

7. In a guide for a cable, a member having spaced-apart guide portions which delimit an entends'and one of which is formed with an openended slot which communicates with said opening, and means for movably mounting ,saidmenrber, for adjustment either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot sothat the walls thereof serve as a guide, or if occupying said slot, ,to a position in which the cable occupies said opening and is clear of the wallsof said slot,-

another of said guide portions being engageable with said cable to holdit, in said slot when said member occupies said first mentioned position.

8. In a guide for a cable, a member having spaced-apart guide portions which delimit an enlarged opening through which said :cableextends and one of which is formed with an open-: ended slot whichloommunicates with said opening, and means for pivotally mounting said member, whereby it may be angularly adjusted either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot so that the walls thereof serve as a guide, or if occupying said slot, to a position in which the cable occupies said opening and is clear of the walls of said slot.

9. In a guide for a cable, a member having spaced-apart guide portions which delimit an enlarged opening through which said cable extends and one of which is formed with an openended slot which communicates with said opening, means for pivotally mounting said member, whereby it may be angularly adjusted either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot so that the wall thereof serves as a guide, or if occupying said slot, to a position in which the cable occupies said opening and is clear of the walls of said slot, and means for releasably securing said member in said first mentioned position.

10. In a guide for a cable, a member having spaced-apart guide portions whi h delimit an enlarged opening through which said cable extends and one of which is formed with an openended slot which communicates with said opening, the plane of said slot being substantially normal to the plane of said opening, and means for pivotally mounting said member, whereby it may be angularly adjusted either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot so that the walls thereof serve as a guide, or if occupying said slot, to a position in which the cable occuplies said opening and is clear of the walls of said s ot.

11. In a guide for a cable, a member having spaced-apart guide portions which delimit an enlarged opening through which said cable extends and one of which is formed with an openended slot which communicates with said opening, the plane of said slot being substantially normal to the plane of said opening, means for pivotally mounting said member, for angular adjustment either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot so that the walls thereof serve as a guide, or if occupying said slot, to a position in which the cable occupies said opening and is clear of the walls of said slot, and means for releasably securing said member in said first mentioned position, another of said guide portions being engageable with said cable to hold it in said slot when said member occupies said first mentioned position.

12. A, guide for a cable with which a fitting is to be associated, said guide including a sectional member having spaced-apart guide portions which extend transversely of said cable and between which the latter passes, and pivot means for normally supporting said member in an angularged opening Ithrough which saidcable ;ex-'

lar position such that, without interfering with substantially free longitudinal movement of said cable, one of said guide portions is engageable with one section of said cable to limit lateral movement of the latter in one direction and another of said guide portions is engageable with a difierent section of said cable to limit its lateral movement in the opposite direction, said member being adjustable about said pivot means'to permit movement of said guide portions away from those sections of said cable with which they are normally engageable toward a plane normal to the plane of the cable, whereby to provide suitable clearance for the passage of'said fitting be- 13. Ina guide for a cable, a sectional member having formed on each section cooperating spaced-apart guide portions which, when in assembly, together delimit an enlarged opening through which said cable extends and one of which is formed with an open-ended slot which communicates with said opening, and means for adjustably mounting said member, whereby it maybe moved either to a position in which said cable occupies said slot so that the walls thereof serve as a guide, or if occupying said slot, to a position in which the cable occupies said opening and is clear of the walls of said slot, the sections of said member being separable to permit tween said guide portions, the sectionsof said 15 the latter to be wholly removed from said cable.

member being separable to permit the latter to be wholly removed from said cable.

TRYON S. LINDABURY. 

